By FRANCIS JOSEPH
First, we lost by seven runs. Then we lost by nine runs. Now we lost by eight runs.
That has been the story of the Trinbago Knight Riders, the defending champions of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL)
The latest defeat took place on Wednesday night at the Queen’s Park Oval before cheering fans. But be real! The Knight Riders are on the brink of elimination with just four points from eight matches, and with just two more away games to go. The Knight Riders have moved down to sixth place on the standings and not even a miracle can save them now.
It was always going to be a tough task after the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons notched up 183 for four in their 20 overs.
A superb 76 from Hasan Nawaz, ensured that the Falcons win by eight runs and head to the top of the table with 11 points.
The result compounded the Knight Riders’ home misery, handing them a third consecutive defeat and a fourth loss in five games on home soil.
Chasing 184, the Knight Riders adopted an all-out aggressive strategy in the Power Play that backfired against Rakeem Cornwall’s tight off spin.
Cornwall ran through the top order, getting Colin Munro to sky one to mid-on and removing Sunil Narine just two balls later, before picking up captain Nicholas Pooran for 22.
Though the Knight Riders hustled to 63 runs in the first six overs, Cornwall’s spell of 3 for 17 left their chase severely dented at four wickets down.
Kieron Pollard, visibly hampered by an existing injury, attempted to pull off another rescue act alongside Joshua Da Silva. The pair put together a 55-run sixth-wicket stand to keep the Knight Riders in the match, with Pollard scoring 41 off 36 balls.
However, when Pollard skied one to deep mid-wicket off Joshua James, the task became monumental with 36 needed off 15.
James and Shamar Springer delivered a masterclass in death bowling to shut the door. James conceded just three runs in the 18th over, and after Springer yielded nine in the 19th, James started the final over with a single and two dot balls.
Da Silva brought up a 34-ball half-century with a late 6, 4, 6 flourish to finish 54 not out, but it served as mere consolation as the Knight Riders fell eight runs short.
